Evening Shadows
by Settiai
Summary: They should know by now that things never go as planned.


As soon as Daniel stepped through the lab's door, his eyes were drawn toward Sam. She was leaning down over a table on the other side of the room, side-by-side with several Jhulendan scientists, obviously hard at work on the vaguely gun-shaped weapon that lay there.

Daniel knew that he shouldn't be worried. He'd seen Sam hard at work on weapons dozens of times back at the SGC, sometimes a lot less willingly than she was now. Despite that, he still couldn't help but feel that something was wrong.

Letting out a tired sigh, Daniel glanced behind him. Jack and Teal'c both seemed to be focusing their gazes on Sam as well, though they didn't seem to have any of the trepidation that he was feeling. Admittedly, it wasn't exactly easy to tell with Teal'c, but still. . . .

"Are we sure this is a good idea?" he asked under his breath,

Jack just shook his head. "Come on, Daniel, the bigwigs back home jumped at the offer," he said. "Carter helps them get the weapons working, and Earth gets shiny new laser guns."

"They're not exactly laser guns, Jack," Daniel pointed out wryly. "It's more like they focus intense heat on a very specific point, creating a wound and the cauterizing it almost instantly. It'll slow someone down without you having to worry about them bleeding to death before you can capture them."

"What if you're not interested in capturing them?" Jack asked.

Daniel rubbed his forehead. "Then you use a different weapon," he replied. "These guns aren't for soldiers, Jack. They're aimed more at civilian law enforcement and the like. You know, people who typically aren't trying to kill. And you never answered my question."

Jack blinked. "The bigwigs back home jumped. . . ."

"I didn't ask whether or not the U.S. government thought it was a good idea," Daniel hissed. "I asked if _we_ were sure it's one."

Teal'c tilted his head a bit, finally letting himself be drawn into the conversation. "Do you not believe this action is beneficial, Daniel Jackson?"

Daniel bit his lip. "I don't know," he admitted after a few seconds' pause. "Something just feels off about this, all of this. I can't really put my finger on anything specific. It's more of a . . . ."

"Gut feeling?" Jack suggested.

When Daniel rolled his eyes, Jack grinned and clapped him on the shoulder. "Daniel, don't worry," he said placatingly. "I don't get to say this much, but I think this trip's going to be a piece of cake."

"You're purposely trying to jinx us, aren't you?" Daniel asked, rolling his eyes as he reached up to brush Jack's hand away.

With a broad "who, me?" grin, Jack raised his voice. "Hey, Carter!"

The group of scientists on the other side of the room all looked up in surprise, apparently just noticing the three men gathered by the door. Sam straightened up, nodding at the colonel as she walked over to join them. "Yes, sir?"

"We just finished the grand tour," he said, pushing Daniel forward. "Teal'c and I are going to go check in with the SGC, but Daniel here wanted to hang out with the science geeks for awhile."

He leaned in closer to her. "He's got a gut feeling," he said in a mock whisper.

Sam shot Daniel a puzzled look. "You think something's wrong?" she asked. "Trust me, Daniel, I've been working with these people for over a week. I don't think they're up to anything."

Daniel shrugged. "Mind if I hang around anyway?"

"Of course not," Sam quickly replied, "but you're probably going to get bored. All we're doing is reworking some of the set-up so that it's more efficient."

"I'll manage," Daniel assured her.

Jack glanced between the two of them for a moment before nodding. "Well, that's settled then," he said. "You kids try not to have too much fun, and make sure you get home by curfew."

Daniel snorted, and Sam quickly elbowed him in the side before he could comment. "We'll try our best, sir," she said.

Jack just kept grinning as he started walking toward the door. "Come on, big guy," he said to Teal'c. "Let's go let Hammond know that everything's going fine."

Teal'c focused his gaze on Jack for a moment before following him out of the room. "I believe Daniel Jackson was correct in his earlier assumption regarding jinxes."

The last thing Daniel and Sam heard before their teammates stepped out of earshot was Jack's sputtering.

----------

Three hours later, Daniel was starting to think that they others had been right. Sam was in her element, probably not even noticing the passage of time except for when she remembered he was standing nearby and tried to explain what they were doing. He had to admit, though, that the tedium was starting to get to him.

Besides, his legs were starting to fall asleep again.

Daniel uncomfortably shifted, almost missing the subtle change that suddenly took place. He frowned as it kicked in that something was different, and it took him a second to realize what had happened. The scientists had been quietly putting forth ideas constantly ever since he'd walked into the room, so it had never been completely silent in the room. The quiet murmurs had stopped, though, leaving the room eerily quiet.

He quickly looked up, instantly turning his gaze toward the scientists. Sam was still looking down, her attention focused completely on the weapon, but the others had stepped back from the table and were surreptitiously looking at the door. Daniel felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up as he realized that something was definitely wrong.

Sam apparently noticed the sudden silence, and she met Daniel's gaze as she looked up. Neither of them said a word, but they both let their hands drift down to rest on their sidearms. Daniel casually scoped out the room for possible exits, trying to make it seem like he was merely stretching again.

Then, without any warning, Daniel and Sam both pulled out their guns. Daniel pointed his at the whole group of scientists, not even trying to aim at anyone specific. He waved it threateningly, putting his point across very soundly.

Sam trained her weapon on one of the scientists, her eyes warning the others not to try anything. "Reelan, what's going on?"

The man stared back at her, shame written across his face. "I'm sorry, Major Carter," he said apologetically. "There is nothing we can do."

"What are you talking about?" she asked.

Before the man could answer, a distant thudding suddenly filled the room. It was quiet at first, but it was steadily getting louder. "Sam," Daniel said, his gaze drifting toward the door, "those sound like footsteps."

"Lots of footsteps," Sam agreed worriedly.

Daniel tapped at his radio. "Jack, can you hear me?"

For several long seconds, there wasn't an answer. Then, to their relief, Jack's voice suddenly came through. "I'm a little busy at the moment," he said loudly, gunfire echoing loudly in the background. "It looks like you might have been right about the locals."

"Yeah, Sam and I already figured that much out," Daniel replied.

There was a worried tone in Jack's voice when he replied. "What's your status?"

"It sounds like we're about to get company," Sam said, tapping her own radio. "Lots of company."

Jack was silent for a second. "You guys think you can make it to the 'gate?" he asked. "Teal'c and I are in the woods between it and the city, and it doesn't look like they're too interested in following us now that we're out here."

Daniel met Sam's gaze, and she shrugged. "We can try," he finally replied, trying not to let his voice sound as doubtful as he felt.

"Teal'c and I will try to call in reinforcements," Jack said. "Good luck. O'Neill out."

Sam took in a deep breath before turning her attention back toward Reelan. "What's this about?" she asked.

He just stared back at her. "I'm sorry, Major Carter, but they'd kill me if I told you anything."

Daniel cleared his throat. "What makes you think we won't kill you?" he asked, aiming his gun at Reelan and purposely cocking it. He carefully avoided meeting Sam's eyes.

Reelan paled and frantically glanced around at the other four scientists. When it became obvious that none of them were going to help him, he lowered his head. "The regent has decided that he does not want to share any of our weapons with your people."

"But I've just spent the last three days helping you improve on it," Sam said, her eyes narrowing. "Our governments had a deal."

"Apparently not anymore," Daniel muttered.

It was right then that the door burst open, revealing at least a dozen heavily armed soldiers. Daniel quickly took a few steps back so that he was standing beside Sam, and he quickly aimed his gun at the single soldier standing in the doorway. Sam, on the other hand, kept hers pointed straight at Reelan.

"Any ideas?" Daniel whispered.

Sam managed a weak grin before grabbing a smoke grenade hanging at her side and tossing it at the doorway. "Run!"

----------

Sam didn't make a sound as she went sprawling to the ground, blood pouring from a cut on her cheek. The soldier who'd hit her kicked her gun away as he pulled out his knife. He knelt down beside her, his face expressionless as he held it to her throat. "I really am sorry about this," he said, "but I have my orders."

Then the man grinned.

Daniel didn't even hesitate. He stepped out from behind the corner of a building, pulling the trigger even as he aimed his gun.

Sam cringed as the man's blood splattered on her face, but she met Daniel's gaze without flinching when he held out his hand to help her up. "Thanks," she said softly.

He just reached out and wiped the worst of the blood off with his hand. "Let's just get out of the city," he finally said, gesturing toward the now unguarded gate.

----------

Daniel couldn't help but let out a cry as a sharp, stabbing pain suddenly flared in his left thigh. His leg collapsed out from under him, and he would have gone tumbling down the steep slope if Sam hadn't grabbed him by the arm. As it was, they both fell to their knees as she tried to keep him from completely falling.

The world blurred for a second as the pain in his leg intensified, but Sam's hand on his arm kept him at least somewhat focused on what was going on around him. His vision slowly started to focus again, and Sam let her hand drop as she pushed herself to her feet. She hurriedly aimed her gun just past the tree line at the top of the slope, where the moving figures there were shrouded in shadows. She pulled the trigger without hesitating, smiling grimly as the burst of gunfire sent the people gathered there scurrying farther back into the woods.

"Come on, Daniel," she said, not even glancing at him as she held out her hand for him to grab. "We need to get moving before they come back."

He snorted as he grabbed her hand, letting her pull him to his feet. "You think?" he asked, hissing in pain as he put weight on his leg. "Oh, that's not good."

Sam turned her attention on him immediately, grimacing when she saw what he was talking about. Part of his pants' leg had been completely burned away, revealing a blackened wound with small trickles of blood escaping from its side. "I guess those new guns are working now," she said dryly.

"Ironic, huh?" Daniel asked, not arguing as she offered him her arm and helped support him as they started back down the slope as quickly as they could manage. "We're going to get killed by the very weapons we helped them build."

She just tightened her grip on his arm. "I think you've been spending too much time with the colonel," she said lightly. "You're starting to sound like him."

"Me? Sound like Jack?" Daniel let out a weak chuckle. "Is that supposed to be a compliment or an insult?"

A low whining sound signaled them that their attackers were shooting again, and several of the small bushes that dotted the hillside started smoking as the weapon's beams hit them. Sam's grip on his arm tightened, and her speed increased. Despite the still intensifying throbbing in his leg, he forced himself to keep up with her.

"Think we could reason with them?" he choked out.

Sam squeezed his arm. "I think we're a little past that, Daniel," she said gently. "Let's just try to make it to the 'gate."

----------

Daniel leaned heavily against Sam, well aware that he was slowing her down. "You wouldn't think those guns would hurt as much as they do," he said weakly.

"Wanna bet?" Sam shot back, her voice light even though there was a dark expression on her face. "I've spent the last few days working on it, remember?"

The world seemed to swim in front of him for a second, and Daniel felt Sam stumble as he went sliding into her. She carefully knelt down, letting him slump down beside her for a moment. "Maybe you should leave me here and go on ahead," he suggested weakly.

"Not a chance," Sam shot back.

Daniel chuckled weakly. "It was at least worth a shot."

She glared at him. "That's not funny."

"Hey, you're the one who told me that I was starting to sound like Jack," he protested, coughing as he spoke.

Sam stared at him for a moment before her mouth slowly twisted up into a smile. She reached out and ruffled his hair a bit before her face suddenly went serious. Nearby, several trees limbs snapped. "We've got to move," she hissed, pushing herself back to her feet.

Daniel barely restrained a groan as she pulled him to his feet as well. "I hope we're close to the 'gate."

"We should be almost there," Sam said, pushing him forward. "Don't worry, Daniel. We're going to get out of this."

He managed a weak chuckle. "Do I sound like I'm worried?"

Sam just shook her head and kept moving.

----------

As Daniel and Sam staggered across the empty field that the 'gate lay in, he kept his gaze focused on the shimmering wormhole. The cover fire that Jack and Teal'c were laying out for them sounded like thunder, and the throbbing in his leg was getting worse with each step he took. And then, suddenly, they were there.

Daniel blinked as they stumbled through, and he felt a moment's disorientation as they stepped onto the ramp in the 'gate room. It faded away when Jack and Teal'c appeared behind them, the colonel yelling for them to close the iris the moment he set foot in the room.

They stood there for a moment, ignoring the commotion going on around them in the 'gate room as the iris closed behind them. Hammond was already marching toward them, no doubt with dozens of questions, but for a few seconds they were apart from everyone else.

"Would it be too childish for me to say 'I told you so,'" Daniel asked dryly.

Sam let out a quiet laugh.

"Okay, so maybe I was wrong," Jack admitted ruefully. "But, hey, we made it."

Teal'c nodded, the corner of his mouth turning upward a bit.

"Yes, we did," Sam said after a moment's pause, squeezing Daniel's arm a little tighter than was absolutely necessary. "_We_ did."

Daniel shot her a brief smile, ignoring the blatantly curious look Jack was giving them, and let her carefully lead him down the ramp.


End file.
